For those still yearning for a show to fill the void of The O.C. and others of its kind, Palm Royale is the answer. The new comedy takes on high society in a glossy trip to the beach.

The period piece takes place in the late ‘60s as one determined outcast tries to get into Palm Beach’s most exclusive club. Starring Kristen Wiig, the series follows Maxine, who is ready to start over when she moves to town. She quickly finds that the Palm Royale is the place to be if you want to make your way into high society. Like other social satires, the series explores the price you pay to fit in. (As Gossip Girl taught us, you’re no one until you’re talked about.)

However, it won’t be so easy for Maxine to find her place. The vapid world of the Palm Royale quickly sniffs her out as someone who doesn’t belong. Her biggest adversary is Evelyn (Allison Janney), who takes an immediate dislike to Maxine. Not to be deterred, Maxine continues to struggle uphill as she makes a name for herself and forges connections. Palm Royale finds inspiration from the book, Mr. and Mrs. American Pie by Juliet McDaniel. While not a one-to-one adaptation, the book weaves a similar tale where its protagonist Maxine tries to find meaning in winning a beauty pageant.

In the series, Wiig and Janney are only some well-known names in the star-studded cast. Also starring are Ricky Martin, Carol Burnett, Leslie Bibb, and Laura Dern in various roles. Fans will not want to miss Wiig’s return to the small screen.

Where is Palm Royale streaming?

Palm Royale is the most recent addition to AppleTV Plus. Arguably one of the most underrated streamers, the platform has an eclectic collection of television series and has a habit of greenlighting unique series that otherwise wouldn’t appear on television.

Fellow period series Physical had a specific perspective in its story as well. Starring Rose Byrne, the show explores Sheila Rubin’s attempts to get an aerobics studio off the ground as she lives with struggles in the ’80s. In addition to comedies, AppleTV Plus also offers a collection of gripping dramas such as Severance and Silo, gearing up for a season 2. The streamer is the perfect place for Palm Royale to find a home. The series airs on March 20, 2024, and will have a run of 10 episodes on AppleTV Plus.

Killers of the Flower Moon topped multiple “Best of 2023” lists among film critics and fans, and the Martin Scorsese-directed neo-Western was nominated for an outstanding ten Academy Awards at this year’s Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actress in a Leading Role for Lily Gladstone.

Based on the 2017 book of the same name by David Grann, Killers of the Flower Moon follows the true story of the Osage Nation murders that occurred in Oklahoma from 1918 to 1931, referred to as the “Reign of Terror” by the Osage. After oil was discovered on their respective reservation, the Osage became some of the wealthiest people in early 20th-century America, making the Native Americans the target of a genocide by numerous white men, many of whom had married Osage women in attempt to claim headrights to their familial wealth.

As part of an offer by the movie’s production company, Apple Original Films, Killers of the Flower Moon will be available to watch for free. The deal is part of an outreach attempt to educate the public on the often-maligned, but never forgotten, story of the Osage murders, shedding light on one of American history’s darkest chapters.

How to stream ‘Killers of the Flower Moon’ for free

The film’s stars, Leonardo DiCaprio and Lily Gladstone, shared a joint Instagram post to explain the Apple TV+ Offer. “#KillersOfTheFlowerMoon is a powerful film that combats the erasure of Native peoples, culture, and communities. It is one that everyone should have the chance to see,” DiCaprio wrote on the post.

“To ensure that, Apple is providing 2 months of free access to Apple TV+.“

Named the “Killers of the Flower Moon Offer”, Apple TV is offering two months of the streaming app, free for all subscribers, until March 14th, 2024. As well as the Scorsese film, users can access other Apple TV shows and movies, such as the new Masters of the Air series, starring Austin Butler and Barry Keoghan.

After the trial ends, users will be automatically subscribed to the service, requiring monthly payments, priced according to their respective regions. Canceling during the trial period can result in the free trial offer being rescinded, so to avoid surprise payments, it is best to set a reminder nearly two months into the free trial.

This offer is for new subscribers only, and cannot be used if they have a pre-existing Apple TV subscription, which typically starts with a free trial period. In order to redeem the offer, users are required to include billing details.

Apple TV Plus’ Masters of the Air is the latest World War II series from Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks, inspired by the 100th Bomb Group of B-17 Flying Fortresses, recorded in history as the “Bloody Hundredth.” Actress Isabel May plays Marge Spencer on the show — and here’s why she looks familiar.

Surrounding May in the cast is a host of well-known faces like Austin Butler as Major Gale ‘Buck’ Cleven, who worked with Hanks in the Baz Luhrman bio-pic, Elvis. Meanwhile, Barry Keoghan is Lieutenant Curtis Biddick, hot off his shocking turn in Saltburn. As for May, her character, Spencer, is Cleven’s girlfriend, and like almost every other character on the show, Spencer is based on a real person. As a look at May’s acting resume reveals, it’s not the first time she’s played a character in a historical setting.

May was Elsa Dutton in ‘1883’

Before Masters, Isabel May played Elsa Dutton in the 2023 Yellowstone spinoff, 1883. Dutton narrated the series and was the daughter of James and Margaret Dutton, played by Tim McGraw and Faith Hill. If you also watched 1923, another Yellowstone prequel, you may recognize May’s voice — she narrated that show, too.

Otherwise, May, who was 23 when Masters of the Air premiered, has appeared in TV’s Young Sheldon on CBS, Netflix’s Alexis & Katie, and the 2022 romantic comedy I Want You Back. Look for May in the thriller Sunflower, directed by Misha Green, with filming set to begin in summer 2024.

On playing Dutton, May said:

“I’m lucky to be a part of it. I don’t really know how I’ve had this opportunity. It’s difficult to find such depth and growth in a character especially at her age, considering the genre as well, being a Western it’s usually from a male perspective.”

via Country Living

Marge Spencer met a sad end

As mentioned, Isabel May’s Masters of the Air character, Marge Spencer, is based on a real person. Spencer met Buck Cleven while they were both kids, and they reconnected while Spencer was enrolled at Texas Tech University and Cleven was a cadet. Spencer stayed behind while Cleven joined the war effort in Europe. The couple married after the war in 1945, but in 1953, Spencer died in her thirties from a suspected brain aneurysm. Though he remarried, it’s said Cleven never got over her death.

Conceived roughly 10 years ago, the World War II drama Masters of the Air has finally hit the screens as a hier to Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg’s 2001 drama Band of Brothers. The first two episodes are already making headlines, so when are the rest scheduled?

After Spielberg and Hanks returned as executive producers to spearhead the 2010 series The Pacific, Spielberg’s father Arnold was all praises, but nudged him “Where’s the Air Force?” And for that question, we all can collectively thank the senior Spielberg for the iconic duo’s third World War II series we’re getting to witness in 2024.

The Apple TV Plus series Masters of the Air is based on Donald L. Miller’s 2007 book Masters of the Air: America’s Bomber Boys Who Fought the Air War Against Nazi Germany. The narrative centers on the daring exploits of the Eighth Air Force’s 100th Bomb Group, a B-17 Flying Fortress unit, during World War II. The series stars Austin Butler, Callum Turner, Anthony Boyle, Barry Keoghan, and Nikolai Kinski in leading roles.

Masters of the Air premiered on Jan. 26, 2024, on Apple TV Plus, and fans are thrilled by the adrenaline-fueled exploration of the Bloody Hundredth’s bravery and sacrifices in the Second World War. Even while knowing they would not make it, the crew performed daytime bombing sorties over German objectives at 25,000 feet, resulting in death, injury, or capture of 77 percent of the Eighth Air Force.

Here’s when you can watch the new episodes of Masters of the Air and catch the full story:

Masters of the Air episodes count

Like its two companions, Band of Brothers (2001) and The Pacific (2010), Masters of the Air will be a miniseries delving deep into the narrative with one season only, comprising 1-hour long episodes. The series will have nine episodes in total, with the ninth episode unfolding as a super-sized finale lasting close to 2 hours.

Spielberg’s motivation behind the series is to keep World War II in sight as the years claim the lives of more and more veterans. Talking about what he aims to achieve with his back-to-back World War II series, Spielberg revealed to the New York Times:

“Through these dramas, we can tell these stories and get people to not only watch our series but to go online and start to explore and navigate the history of World War II. That’s a big win for us.”

Masters of the Air release schedule

Episodes 1 and 2 of the thrilling war drama have already hit the Apple TV Plus screens on Jan. 26, 2024, as a grand premiere. The series will now pick up a weekly release schedule, dropping one episode every Friday at 9:00 p.m. ET. Here is the full release schedule for all nine episodes of Masters of the Air:

• Episode 1, “Part One”: Jan. 26, 2024
• Episode 2, “Part Two”: Jan. 26, 2024
• Episode 3, “Part Three”: Feb. 2, 2024
• Episode 4, “Part Four”: Feb. 9, 2024
• Episode 5, “Part Five”: Feb. 16, 2024
• Episode 6, “Part Six”: Feb. 23, 2024
• Episode 7, “Part Seven”: March 1, 2024
• Episode 8, “Part Eight”: March 8, 2024
• Episode 9, “Part Nine”: March 15, 2024

One thing is for certain: We can hardly wait.

Ted Lasso, Silo, and now, Shrinking. Some of the best television shows of 2023 continue to prove that Apple TV Plus is one of the more underrated streaming services. And, following season 1, the series has finally gotten the news fans have been waiting for.

Created by Ted Lasso alums Brett Goldstein and Bill Lawrence, the hilarious show revolves around a decidedly unfunny concept. Struggling with the death of his wife, Jimmy (Jason Segel) can’t connect with his daughter, Alice (Lukita Maxwell), as well as his patients in his capacity as a therapist. Only when he has hit rock bottom does he decide to embark on the extremely unethical – yet amusing – endeavor of telling his clients what he really thinks. No more handholding and guiding his patients toward self-improvement. He’s going to force them there himself.

There is no doubt that Segel’s comedy stylings keep this show from falling into the realm of depressing content, but additional casting is on point. Jimmy’s practice is comprised of Jessica Williams as Gaby, as well as the inspiring casting of Harrison Ford as their boss, Paul. With equal parts gruffness and surprising levity, Ford’s presence in the series is the cherry on top. Shrinking has not been the phenomenon of Goldstein’s previous endeavor (we still can’t believe Keeley’s pick between Roy and Jamie). But its charm and resonant themes were enough to get a green light for season 2.

When does season 2 of Shrinking premiere?

Before Shrinking ‘s first season concluded, the writing was on the wall. The series was a massive success. From casting, to writing, to the devastating true-to-life emotions, the series was firing on all cylinders. In an easy decision, Apple TV Plus gave the go-ahead for another season of stress, grief, and laughs in a statement from the head of programming for the platform, Matt Cherniss.

“We have loved the engaging, touching and hilarious world of ‘Shrinking’ since the beginning, and it has been wonderful to watch as audiences around the world continue to connect with these big-hearted characters. We can’t wait for viewers to experience what the cast and creative team have for season two.”

The most recent information about a second season came out in March 2023. While a second season is a go, there has been no confirmation of an exact release date. The recent strike of Hollywood unions, WGA and SAG-AFTRA, most likely is a contributing factor to this. While we can hope for a 2024 release date, work stoppage has most likely caused a significant delay. What we can count on is the returning cast that has made the series so special.

As an executive producer and star of the show, Segel will undoubtedly be returning as well as co-stars Ford, Williams, and Christa Miller who plays an emotionally invested neighbor and Alice’s stand-in mother figure, Liz. Lawrence told Variety there’s a three-season plan for Shrinking and the main cast is expected to continue for the series until then. He has also given hints about what to expect in the future season. While the first season focuses heavily on grief, Lawrence says that season 2 will be more centered around forgiveness.

Forgiveness is something that the characters desperately need. Jimmy regrets his final argument with his wife, Tia, before she dies in a car accident. He then embarks on a sexual relationship with Gaby, who was Tia’s best friend. The show is a constantly moving wheel of emotion, which Segel said is supposed to mimic life.

“Brett [Goldstein] has put it really well: I think the line that we hit is sort of the tone of life. We all know people who are just properly miserable, and behave that way. And that’s a hard thing to pull yourself out of. But real people don’t try to show their feelings. They try to hide them. We laugh our way through the hardest moments. I think sometimes we cry our way through the most beautiful moments, because they’re so unexpected and rare. That’s exactly what the show does. It’s a reflection of how we actually experience these things.”

All these concepts and more are to be expected when Shrinking returns for season 2.

Spoiler Warning: This article contains spoilers for the novel version of Lessons in Chemistry and possibly spoilers for Apple TV Plus’ limited series. 

If you’ve been on BookTok (a TikTok sub-community dedicated to book lovers) at all between 2022 and 2023, then you’ve heard about Lessons in Chemistry. 

The debut novel written by Bonnie Garmus became an overnight sensation and an instant New York Times Bestselling upon publication in April 2022. It spent 56 weeks on the NYT Bestselling list, was named one of NYT’s notable books of the year, and was chosen as Good Morning America’s book club pick.

It was also read and enjoyed by over three-quarters of a million readers on Goodreads, was named the platform’s Best Debut Novel of 2022, and was adapted into a limited series on Apple TV Plus. 

What you need to know going in

Trading her Marvel superhero costume for a lab coat, Brie Larson stars as Elizabeth Zott, a brilliant and unrelenting chemist at Hastings Research Institute navigating the 1950s patriarchy. Although her contributions to abiogenesis (the theory that life rose from non-life forms billions of years ago) blow that of her male counterparts out of the water, Elizabeth’s credibility is questioned at every corner. 

Along the way, Elizabeth meets and falls in love with Calvin Evans (played by Lewis Pullman in the limited series), a famous and renowned scientist with whom she works at Hastings. Because of her male-dominated field, Elizabeth dodges accusations that she’s “sleeping her way to the top.”

In reality, Calvin sees Elizabeth for the intelligent, funny, and opinionated chemist she is, and eventually, they have a daughter together, Madeleine Zott, or Mad Zott for short. 

Unfortunately, Elizabeth and Calvin never marry, so Mad being born out of wedlock becomes the crux upon which Hastings Research Institute hinders their decision to fire Elizabeth. Eventually, she is approached by Walter Pine, a television producer at KCTV who offers her a job as host of a daytime cooking show called Supper at Six.

Elizabeth accepts because she needs the income to support her family. She loves to cook, after all, and she’s great at it. She proceeds headfirst into the venture, but her adamant demand that she be able to incorporate chemistry into the gig goes overlooked by Walter until the cameras start rolling and it’s too late to stop her.  

Before long, Supper at Six becomes a national sensation, and Elizabeth is its unsuspecting star. All the while, Elizabeth works overtime to continue her chemistry career, even remodeling her home kitchen into a science lab. Supper at Six is fine and dandy, but chemistry is her passion.

She belongs in the lab, not the kitchen, and she will do anything in her power to get back to Hastings Research Institute, or any science lab for that matter. 

Still, there’s no denying Elizabeth’s magnetism. Women all around the world tune into Supper at Six religiously, keen to absorb any bits of advice Elizabeth imparts, which nine times out of ten contain a chemistry flair. Meanwhile, KCTV’s executive producer Phil Lebensmal loathes everything about Elizabeth’s unruly nature.

All he wants her to do is stick to the teleprompters, promote their sponsors, and smile. But Elizabeth marches to the beat of her own drum.

How does Lessons in Chemistry end?

By the time we near the third act of Lessons in Chemistry, an entire subplot has been co-existing alongside the nationwide uproar about Elizabeth’s tenure on Supper at Six. Mad, Elizabeth’s genius daughter, is on the hunt to learn more about her father, Calvin Evans. 

Now, one thing we didn’t state earlier that must be said now is that Calvin is accidentally killed early on in the book. We’re burying this detail in case the average reader wishes to experience that bombshell on their own. Nevertheless, his death creates ripples throughout both Elizabeth’s and Mad’s life. 

Determined to learn about her father, Mad buries herself in research at the library where she eventually crosses paths with Reverend Wakey, who, it just so happens, was once pen pals with her father. Mad is drip-fed various facts about Calvin from Wakey, her neighbor-slash-family-friend Harriet, and research of her own finding.

Over time, she learns that Calvin was an orphan at All Saints Home for Boys in Sioux City. His love for science took root after a mysterious man associated with a foundation began donating science books to the orphanage. 

Meanwhile, Supper at Six experiences a massive surge in ratings after Walter Pine takes over for Lebensmal as executive producer of KCTV. This came after Lebensmal’s attempt to physically and sexually assault Elizabeth for disobeying orders (an occurrence Elizabeth is unfortunately all too familiar with). As a result of Supper at Six’s uptick in popularity, Elizabeth is approached by Franklin Roth, an award-winning journalist, looking to conduct an exclusive interview for Life Magazine.

Elizabeth is accustomed to turning down these kinds of interviews because usually, all they want is an inside scoop into her relationship with Calvin Evans. This time, however, she’s reassured that the article will focus solely on her professional career. 

It does. The article is immaculate and peels back the curtain into Elizabeth’s career triumphs and tribulations. Unfortunately, that’s not the article Roth’s editor at Life wants to publish, so what goes out into the world is a superficial cover that glosses over any and all of Elizabeth’s accomplishments. Just like that, she is tossed back into the box society demands she live inside and her chemistry career is ruined. 

Elizabeth plunges into a deep depression that spans several months. Then, out of the blue, her former colleague at Hastings, Miss. Frask — who once co-conspired to get her fired —  reveals that she was so incensed by Life’s article that she wrote to complain.

As it turns out, the Parker Foundation — the foundation that funds research at Hastings — got hold of this letter and conducted an investigation into the unethical behavior at Hastings and its head honcho, Dr. Donatti. Frask now works as head of personnel and she wants Elizbeth to join her as head of chemistry. 

It’s all too good to be true, though. Elizabeth soon discovers that Avery Parker, the woman behind the Parker Foundation is actually Calvin’s biological mother. Knowing the turmoil Calvin endured at All Saints orphanage, Elizabeth is reluctant to pay Avery any mind, let alone accept the job as head chemist. However, Avery quickly explains the whole story.

It turns out that, like Elizabeth, Avery got pregnant and gave birth to Calvin before she was married. Worse, she was a teenager, and because of that, she was forced to give Calvin up for adoption. When she was old enough to seek Calvin out, she sent her lawyer Mr. Wilson to inquire after Calvin at All Saints. In the hope of squeezing some pity money from Mr. Wilson, the bishop at All Saints lied and said Calvin had died.

The bishop’s plan backfired, however, because the Parker Foundation traded money in favor of science book donations in Calvin’s honor. 

When Calvin eventually became famous for his contributions to science, Avery tried tirelessly to contact him. Under the assumption that she was a random lady seeking his money, though, Calvin ignored her. By the time she tried to seek him out in person, it was too late. 

Now, Avery is hoping to become a part of Elizabeth and Mad’s life, both professionally as the private funder of research at Hastings and personally as Mad’s grandmother.

No longer constrained by the obligations of the cooking show or prejudice in the workplace, Elizabeth resumes her abiogenesis research at Hastings, and the novel ends with her inviting Avery into her home for — you guessed it — supper. 

Despite a terrible showing at the box office, The Marvels is pretty popular among viewers.

It sports a surprisingly high score, over on Rotten Tomatoes, even as it claims the title of the MCU’s biggest bomb so far. The late 2023 release is far and away superior to Quantumania, and its quality is so far above Secret Invasion the two can’t even be compared, but that doesn’t change the fact that the Brie Larson-helmed release made less upon release than The Flash. Talk about embarrassing.

Still, its clear that viewers are interested in the film, even if they aren’t willing to pay for it. Reviews for The Marvels praise the flawless chemistry between its leading ladies, sheer entertainment value, and overall fun and funny nature of the film, and showcase just how much audiences enjoyed it. Even those who’ve yet to witness Larson’s second solo (or semi-solo) flick are intrigued, but they’re happy to wait until its free to watch on streaming before giving into their curiosity. Thankfully, that day is right around the corner.

The Marvels digital release

The first official outing of the Marvels — comprised of Brie Larson’s Captain Marvel, Teyonah Parris’ Monica Rambeau, and Iman Velani’s Ms. Marvel — is headed to digital in mid-January. The Marvels will come available to purchase on Apple TV Plus and Prime Video on Jan. 16, just over two months following its initial theatrical release.

The Marvels physical release

If you’d prefer a physical copy of The Marvels, the wait is a bit longer. You still won’t be far into 2024 before owing your own version of the MCU flick, however, as its slated to release on DVD and Blu-ray on Feb. 13, right around a month after it comes available on digital platforms.

The Marvels streaming release

Eventually, all MCU fans know The Marvels will additionally land on Disney Plus. Its headed to join its MCU peers there eventually, but Disney and Marvel likely intend to put some distance between its digital and physical release and its eventual streaming drop. That gives the film a bit more time to pull in the cash it lost at the box office before we all start streaming it for free. Once we have a concrete release date on Disney Plus, we’ll update this article.

From Severance to Ted Lasso, Apple TV Plus has been putting out some exceptional original content. And from the looks of the newest show from the tech company, Palm Royale, it seems like it will be continuing that trend.

The show, based on the book Mr. & Mrs. American Pie by Juliet McDaniel, is set in the late sixties and follows Maxine (Kirsten Wiig), a wannabe socialite who slides her way into the exclusive world of Palm Beach high society. Aside from its A-list leading lady, there are plenty of other big names set to turn this production into one of next year’s most anticipated shows.

Although there is no trailer or episode guide yet, we do have some information about the upcoming series. Read on to find out more about Palm Royale, including its release date, cast, and more!

When will Palm Royale be released?

At the moment the first three episodes of Palm Royale are set to drop on March 20, an excellent tactic that allows viewers to binge a bit while also holding just enough back to keep them hooked. The next seven episodes of the 10-episode season will then be released on a weekly basis.

Episode lengths are yet to be confirmed, but based on other Apple TV shows, they could be anywhere from 22 minutes to an hour or more.

Who are the cast of Palm Royale?

One of the most exciting things about Palm Royale is its star-studded cast list. In the title role is Kristen Wiig, who plays the wannabe socialite at the center of the story. She is supported by Laura Dern as Linda, Alison Janney as Evelyn, Leslie Bibb as Dinah, and Ricky Martin as Robert. Other names on the call sheet include Carol Burnett taking on a character called Norma, Josh Lucas as a hunky pilot named Douglas, and Cindy Crawford’s model-turned-actress daughter Kaia Gerber, who will be making a guest appearance as a manicurist named Mitzi, thus marking her most high profile on-screen role yet.

What else do we know about Palm Royale?

At this point? Not much. Apple TV has been fairly tight-lipped about the plot, and we’ve only had a peek at the first-look images that came out recently.

If we look at the source material, we can get a little more clarity about the upcoming production. In Mr. & Mrs. American Pie we know that the character of Maxine has a breakdown at Thanksgiving after finding out her husband is going to leave her for his secretary (it is set in the sixties, after all). She is then sent to the middle of nowhere (sorry if you’re a native of Scottsdale, Arizona), where she hatches a plan to shift a few states over and become the queen of Florida high society. We also know that some interesting characters will pop up, including European royalty.

However, aside from that we’re in the dark. Let’s just hope March comes around quickly!

Ted Lasso legend Hannah Waddingham is so much more than the co-star of 2024’s The Garfield Movie, enviable polyglot, and rightful heir to Benedict Cumberbatch’s “Most British-Sounding Name” throne. 

She’s also a multi talented performer with – and this is just context-based speculation – at least one more project on her contract with Apple TV Plus. With that firmly in mind, we present to you: Hannah Waddingham: Home for Christmas.

A throwback to a bygone era of singing, dancing celebrity holiday concerts, Hannah Waddingham: Home for Christmas brings its namesake Game of Thrones star to the stage in festive, bombastic fashion. Featuring twinkle-lit cheer, more saxophones than you see most days, and a seasonally-specific tidal wave of sleigh bell noises, it promises to be a new Yuletide classic for certified non-Scrooges.

Waddingham – whose last name sounds like a large rabbit side character in the Paddington Bear cinematic universe – won’t be performing alone. It would border on the egregious to invite AFC Richmond’s Rebecca Welton back to Apple’s streaming service without extending the courtesy to her fellow Ted Lasso alums. Phil Dunster, AKA Jamie Tartt (doo dooo doo-doo-doo) is confirmed to join the proceedings, as is Juno Temple, Brendan Hunt, and a bevy of as-yet undisclosed “surprise guests.” Featured non-Lasso reunion appearances will be made by Luke Evans, Leslie Odom Jr., and Sam Ryder.

Hannah Waddingham: Home for Christmas is set to stream on Apple TV Plus exclusively. Barring unforeseen delays, it will be available for subscribers to watch beginning on November 22, 2023.

To know Lessons in Chemistry is to love its most beloved character, Six-Thirty.

Apple TV Plus had its work cut out for itself in finding actors to bring to life the characters Bonnie Garmus so vividly crafted in her New York Times bestselling hit novel. How accurately the studio cast Elizabeth Zott, Calvin Evans, and the rest of the ensemble could make or break the show (thankfully, it did a good job), but how well they brought Six-Thirty to the screen could make or break fans’ hearts.

Both on the page and the screen, Six-Thirty is a vital member of the Evans/Zott household. Starting as the grungy stray Elizabeth finds scrounging through a trashcan, he becomes more of a guardian angel over time than simply a dog. With a vocabulary to rival some tiny humans, certain sections of the book are often preluded with Six-Thirty’s inner monologue, granting us readers insight into the situation as effectively as an omnipotent narrator.

Obviously, that would require a bit of finesse in the adaptation process, as Six-Thirty’s thoughts are the only bit of magical realism in an otherwise grounded literary novel. Like the book, the show opted to bring Six-Thirty’s voice to life, but to prevent it from becoming amateurish, it would require a talented actor to lend his voice to the role.

The actor who voices Six-Thirty in Lessons in Chemistry

Looking at B.J. Novak’s career, you probably wouldn’t think he’d eventually voice the character of a dog in a 1950s feminist drama about chemistry and cooking. Best known for playing Ryan Howard in The Office, Novak — whose full name is Benjamin Joseph Manaly Novak — has earned a reputation for his comedy, which he’s flexed quite prolifically in shows such as Community, The Mindy Project, and Knocked Up.

But if you stop to look at his filmography, you’ll see that Novak also has a history of lending his voice to animated projects, including Arthur, The Smurfs, and now Lessons in Chemistry. Beyond that, he’s cushioned his comedy with plenty of drama roles like The Amazing Spider-Man 2, Saving Mr. Banks, and most recently, Vengence, which he also directed.

All that to say, Novak found a way to bring the precise combination of levity and heart to Six-Thirty. His voice isn’t as deep as the dog Shadow in Homeward Bound, voiced by the legend Don Ameche, but it carries a similar honeysuckle smoothness that dogs tend to possess in movies. It’s the kind of voice that can immediately make you cry if played over an emotional scene with the right music.

Six-Thirty isn’t the star of Lessons in Chemistry, but he is the heart, and like the character, BJ Novak managed to steal every scene he’s in.

Some of the most iconic characters in fiction have a specific physical trait that sets them apart from everyone else. For Harry Potter, it is his lightning bolt scar. For Superman, it is his hair curl. For Indiana Jones, it is his classic fedora. And for Elizabeth Zott in Lessons in Chemistry, it is the No. 2 pencil in her hair. 

The fictional chemist turned cooking show host is brought to life by Academy Award-winning actress Brie Larson in Apple TV Plus’ adaptation of the popular New York Times bestselling novel by Bonnie Garmus. When we meet Elizabeth for the first time, she is preparing to go live for Supper at Six, the cooking show that doubles as a chemistry class for rapt viewers around the world. We don’t see Elizabeth’s face until the producer on set shouts  “We’re live in five, four, three…” at which point Elizabeth stabs a pencil into her pulled-back bun, turns around, and delivers her recognizable intro: 

“Welcome viewers, my name is Elizabeth Zott, and this is Supper at Six.”  

Throughout the limited series’ first and second episodes, we see the No. 2 pencil in Elizabeth’s hair in some way or another. Sometimes it’s tucked behind her ear, but most of the time jabbed into her pulled-back bun. 

While this may seem like an idle detail, a few ominous flashbacks in episode 1 indicate otherwise. These flashbacks occur any time someone enters a room with Elizabeth and closes the door behind them. Elizabeth doesn’t like closed doors, made evident by the death grip she maintains on her pencil anytime it happens. When Calvin Evans (Lewis Pullman) unknowingly does this at the end of episode 1, Elizabeth flies out of the room and proceeds to terminate any and all contact with him. 

The real reason Elizabeth Zott keeps a pencil in her hair at all times

The following section contains spoilers for episodes 1 and 2 of Lessons in Chemistry as well as mentions of sexual assault. 

At first, it comes across as a stylistic choice, perhaps something Lessons in Chemistry’s showrunner Lee Eisenberg chose to do to elevate Elizabeth’s intelligence in the eyes of at-home viewers. As we get to know Elizabeth, though, it reads more like a character trait, a practical method for keeping track of her endless stream of brilliance. However, as we progress through Elizabeth’s backstory, we understand this is more complex than just practicality. Elizabeth’s No. 2 pencil is a security blanket.

Lessons in Chemistry episode 2 opens with a flashback of Elizabeth when she was a student at UCLA in 1950 studying for her PhD. Similarly to the present day, Elizabeth’s unapologetic intelligence intimates the men around her. When the board at her qualifying exam asks her specific questions which she answers in exquisite detail, they grow silent and uncomfortable. Except for Dr. Bates, who smiles to himself similarly to the way Calvin Evans smiled to himself at the sight of Elizabeth’s unabashed intellect in the present day. 

Moments later, Elizabeth is back in her office when Dr. Bates comes to congratulate her. His intentions seem pure at first but then he kisses her unprovoked, which Elizabeth rejects. That’s when he turns around and locks the door and proceeds to sexually assault her. Elizbeth fights off her attacker, eventually yanking the No. 2 pencil out of her hair and stabbing him in the abdomen. 

Later she is reprimanded by a UCLA administrator and told the only way to continue her PhD is by submitting a “formal statement of regret.” This differs slightly from the book, in which Elizabeth’s story is not taken seriously by the cops who arrive on the scene, but either way, it’s just as infuriating and disheartening. 

Elizabeth refuses to apologize in either scenario. Instead, she tells the UCLA administrator the only “regret” she has is “not having more pencils.”

Present-day Elizabeth is still grappling with the traumatic event. Not only does that explain why she experiences a form of PTSD if someone enters a room behind her and closes the door but also why she maintains a tight grip on her pencil in moments of high anxiety. In a world that refuses to keep her safe, she must contend with protecting herself.

No one can say for certain why Brie Larson experienced a campaign of hate after starring in the MCU’s Captain Marvel.

Both before and after Captain Marvel hit theaters — subsequently shattering box office expectations by earning over $1 billion, one might add — Larson endured what can only be described as a witch hunt. In the film, she was accused of not smiling enough and appearing aloof and overly confident. In real life, she was accused of hating white men, in particular, over comments about equal opportunity and representation in media. She didn’t, in other words, be who anyone wanted her to be. And by “anyone,” I mean the man-children whose authority felt threatened by hers because that’s what dislike comes down to, doesn’t it? Feeling threatened by something that scares you?

Tomorrow, Oct. 13, Larson will debut her limited series Lessons in Chemistry on Apple TV Plus, an adaptation of the popular novel of the same name by Bonnie Garmus. Larson’s character, Elizabeth Zott, is a chemist turned cooking show host who sends the nation into an uproar with her progressive ideologies. Those ideologies bear a striking resemblance to Larson’s, and it doesn’t take X-ray vision to see the through line between both women’s story arcs in the public eye.

For starters, Elizabeth doesn’t conform to the limited expectations bestowed upon her; she doesn’t shrink herself to make room for the men around her; she doesn’t apologize for her opinions; she doesn’t mask her intelligence for the sake of keeping the peace; she doesn’t, in any way, let a man’s belief of what she can and cannot do be the gavel with which her actions are guided. She is an unapologetically brilliant chemist, just as Larson is an unapologetically gifted Academy Award-winning actress.

Elizabeth Zott, like Larson, marches to the beat of her own drum, and when looking at the two narratives side by side, it’s nearly impossible not to view one as the response to the other. So, did Larson choose Lessons in Chemistry to respond to her Captain Marvel haters? Only she knows. But one thing is certain — Larson is putting her words into action and letting those actions speak for themselves.

Lessons in Chemistry debuts its first two episodes on Friday, Oct. 13, on Apple TV Plus. New episodes will air weekly until the season finale on Nov. 24, two weeks after Larson’s highly-anticipated Captain Marvel sequel, The Marvels, hits theaters on Nov. 10.